Method and apparatus for updating distributed databases in a telecommunications network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for updating user data stored on databases distributed throughout a teleconmmunications network is described. A central database server stores a master copy of the user data from which a transaction journal may be created. The transaction journal includes every change in user data entered at the central database server during provisioning sessions. The remote nodes of the network contain databases which ideally store user data which is consistent with the user data records in the central database server. To achieve this the new transaction journal entries are propagated at regular intervals to the remote nodes. During a transition period, the central database server and the remote nodes are updated with new software. To accommodate nodes during the transition period which can be running on either the old or new software, the transaction journal preferably has two sets of user data, a first set for use with nodes running the old software and a second set for nodes running the new software. When a remote node is to be updated it is connected to the central database server and an audit is made of the software version and the age of the user data stored on the remote node. Based on the version number of the software, either the first or second set of transaction journal updates are propagated towards and applied on the remote node without halting call processing at the remote node.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A method of updating software and corresponding user data in a telecommunications network including at least one remote intelligent device running a first version of software and at least one remote intelligent device running a second version of the software, comprising the steps of: generating an updated transaction journal including at least one set of a first set of entries containing first user data to be used with the first version of software and a second set of entries containing second user data for use with the second version of said software, and   updating corresponding user data on each said remote intelligent device by propagating at least one of said first and said second user data sets to each remote intelligent device and applying to each remote intelligent device only one of said first and said second user data sets as determined by the version number of the software running on the propagated-to device.   
     
     
       2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said generating step includes storing said transaction journal including said first and second set. 
     
     
       3. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of updating the software on each intelligent device from the first version to the second version. 
     
     
       4. Method according to claim 1, wherein each entry in the first or second user data sets is allocated a unique identifier, and the identifiers are allocated in a monotonically increasing or decreasing manner. 
     
     
       5. Method according to claim 4, wherein each user data record which has an entry in both the first and second sets has the same unique reference indication in both sets. 
     
     
       6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first device is a central database server. 
     
     
       7. Method according to claim 1, wherein a further intelligent device is a leading device and a copy of the transaction journal is kept on said leading device. 
     
     
       8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the propagating step includes only propagating the first or second user data set to the plurality of intelligent devices which have been previously applied on said leading device. 
     
     
       9. A telecommunications network comprising: at least one remote intelligent device running a first version of software and at least one remote intelligent device running a second version of the software;   means on a first intelligent device for generating an updated transaction journal including at least one set of a first set of entries containing first user data to be used with a first version of software and a second set of entries containing second user data for use with a second version of said software; and   means for updating the corresponding user data on each said remote intelligent device including means for propagating at least one of said first and said second user data sets to each remote intelligent device and applying only one of said first and second user data sets to each said remote intelligent device as determined by the version number of the software running on that device.   
     
     
       10. A telecommunications network according to claim 9, further comprising means to store said transaction journal on said first intelligent device including said first and second sets. 
     
     
       11. A telecommunications network according to claim 9, further comprising means for updating each remote intelligent device from the first version of the software to the second version of the software. 
     
     
       12. A telecommunications network according to claim 9, wherein each entry in the first or second user data sets has a unique identifier, and the identifiers are allocated in a monotonically increasing or decreasing manner. 
     
     
       13. A telecommunications network according to claim 12, wherein each user data record which has an entry in both the first and second sets has the same unique reference indication in both sets. 
     
     
       14. A telecommunications network according to claim 9, wherein the first device is a central database server. 
     
     
       15. A telecommunications network according to claim 9, further comprising a further intelligent device as a leading device and a copy of the transaction journal is kept on said leading device. 
     
     
       16. A telecommunications network according to claim 15, wherein the means for propagating is adapted to propagate only the first or second user data set which has been previously applied on said leading device. 
     
     
       17. An intelligent device for use in a telecommunications network including a plurality of intelligent devices containing software and storing corresponding user data to be used with the software, comprising: means for generating an updated transaction journal having at least one set of a first set of entries containing first user data to be used with a first version of software and a second set of entries containing second user data for use with a second version of said software; and   means for propagating only one of said first and second user data sets towards any of the plurality of intelligent devices in the network as determined by the version number of the software running on each said intelligent device.   
     
     
       18. An intelligent device according to claim 17, further comprising means for storing said transaction journal including said first and second sets. 
     
     
       19. An intelligent device according to claim 17, wherein each entry in the first or second user data sets has a unique identifier, and the identifiers are allocated in a monotonically increasing or decreasing manner. 
     
     
       20. An intelligent device according to claim 19, wherein each user data record which has an entry in both the first and second sets has the same unique reference indication in both sets. 
     
     
       21. A method of operating an intelligent device for use in a telecommunications network including a plurality of intelligent devices containing software and storing corresponding user data to be used with the software, comprising the steps of: generating on said intelligent device an updated transaction journal having at least one set of a first set of entries containing first user data to be used with a first version of software and a second set of entries containing second user data for use with a second version of said software; and   propagating only one of said first and second user data sets towards any of the plurality of the intelligent devices as determined by the version number of the software running on each said device.   
     
     
       22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of storing the transaction journal including said first and second sets. 
     
     
       23. A method according to claim 21, wherein each entry in the first or second user data sets is allocated a unique identifier, and the identifiers are allocated in a monotonically increasing or decreasing manner. 
     
     
       24. Method according to claim 23, wherein each user data record which has an entry in both the first and second sets has the same unique reference indication in both sets.